Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbits are the world's smallest and among the rarest. Native only to a single area of Washington State, this once isolated population of Pygmy rabbits usually weighs less than a pound in adulthood and was declared extinct in the wild in the '90s, after the remaining 14 bunnies were scooped up and taken into the equivalent of bunny protective custody.

This year the Oregon Zoo welcomed 26 of the little guys, bringing this year's total to 73 baby bunnies (kits) among participating breeding facilities. Color is added to the ears in the pictures below so zoo staff can tell the kits apart.

Unlike most rabbits, the Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit did not breed prodigously in captivity, partially due to inbreeding within the tiny wild population. As a result they were cross bred with Idaho Pygmy Rabbits and subsequent breeding efforts have been more successful. Learn more by clicking on "Continue reading..." below or at the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The zoo -- in collaboration with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington State University and Northwest Trek -- is diligently working to bring this endangered Northwest species back from the brink of extinction.

Huge declines in both the number and size of rabbit populations prompted the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife to list the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit as a state-endangered species in 1993. Following continued population loss, biologists removed the remaining 14 rabbits from the wild and started an emergency captive-breeding program similar to the one used for California condors.

"In the past, zoos have spread their conservation efforts all over the world, particularly in tropical areas," said Michael Illig, assistant curator in charge of the zoo's rabbit program. "While these efforts are extremely important, there is a tendency to ignore our own back yards. At the Oregon Zoo, we believe efforts in our own region more effectively engage our visitors and constituents in conservation actions."

The zoo's involvement with pygmy rabbit breeding began in December 2000, when Idaho pygmy rabbits arrived as surrogates for the vulnerable Columbia Basin rabbits. Zoo staff constructed behind-the-scenes habitats full of loose soil and tubes, which served as hiding places for the reclusive rabbits. Nest boxes were also constructed and fitted with infrared video cameras, allowing scientists to study the animals' activity patterns and learn behavioral nuances.

In 2001, the research paid off, and the Oregon Zoo became the first zoo in the world to successfully breed Idaho pygmy rabbits. Its program for Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits became increasingly successful through the 2006 breeding season, yielding a record number of births and 32 surviving kits.

The zoo shared its research and breeding protocols with WDFW, facilitating the establishment of pygmy rabbit breeding facilities at Northwest Trek and WSU in Pullman.

Pygmy rabbits are the only North American rabbits that dig burrows and live in a sagebrush habitat. Jack rabbits, which also live in sagebrush communities, are actually hares, not rabbits. In the wild, pygmy rabbits eat sagebrush almost exclusively in the winter; during summer, they eat a more varied diet. They may have two to four litters of about two to six kits during the spring and summer breeding seasons. Population decline is widely attributed to predation and habitat loss caused by agricultural development and wildfires.

"In the future," Illig said, "we have to do a better job of protecting animals and their habitats before situations become dire."

Comments

Meet the World's Smallest Rabbit

Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbits are the world's smallest and among the rarest. Native only to a single area of Washington State, this once isolated population of Pygmy rabbits usually weighs less than a pound in adulthood and was declared extinct in the wild in the '90s, after the remaining 14 bunnies were scooped up and taken into the equivalent of bunny protective custody.

This year the Oregon Zoo welcomed 26 of the little guys, bringing this year's total to 73 baby bunnies (kits) among participating breeding facilities. Color is added to the ears in the pictures below so zoo staff can tell the kits apart.

Unlike most rabbits, the Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit did not breed prodigously in captivity, partially due to inbreeding within the tiny wild population. As a result they were cross bred with Idaho Pygmy Rabbits and subsequent breeding efforts have been more successful. Learn more by clicking on "Continue reading..." below or at the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.